Advertising apparatus



1.R.0SBORNE.

Anvemlsm APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUGAZS I9I. 1,338,523, Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

JACOB n. osiaonNE,v or CLINTON, MIssoUnI.

ADVERTISING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, 1920.

Application led August 23, 1917. Serial No. 187,760.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB R. OsBoRNE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Clinton and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements in Advertising Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to advertising apparatus, such as are employed for displaying reading matter contained on a web or ribbon. The web is usually mounted on rollers and a portion of the web is displayed l at a point between the rollers; the web is usually advanced by an intermittent movement. The general object of the present invention is to provide simple means for advancing the web, and for controlling its movements in such a way that the web can be advanced at the will of the person controlling the machine and so that any advertising matter displayed, may be held at the displaying point as long as may be desired, the apparatus operating in such a way that at each movement of the web it will be advanced to a predetermined point, and then permanently stopped automatically until started again by the manual control.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawing which fully illustrates the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my advertising device, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation;

Fig. 3' is a cross-section taken through the edge of the web, and

Fig. l is a side elevation and partial section of a conventional clutch which may be used with my apparatus.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents a case which is preferably of box form, provided on its forward side with a hinged cover 2, which can be swung open when desired. This cover hasian opening or window 3 cut in it which may be glazed if desired. Past this opening a web 4 is guided by means of suitable guide rollers 5. I provide means for supporting and advancing this web. For this purpose the ends of this web are attached respectively to rollers ord drums 6 and 7 `which are rotatably mounted in the upper and lower portions of the case. These rollers are preferably removable from the case, so that, if desired, a pair of rollers carrying another web may be substituted. In order to facilitate this operation, one end of each roller is provided with a stub shaft 8 which is rotatably mounted in the vertical wall of the case. The other end of each roller is provided with a squared shank or neck 9, which is removably received in a squared socket 10 formed on a stub shaft 11, the socket being provided with a set screw 12 for securing the shank. It should be understood that the shaft 8 fits loosely in its opening in the vertical wall of the case so that a slight amount of play is permitted, which is sufficient to enable the shank 9 to have the lateral movement requisite to place it in or remove it from the socket.

Suitable driving mechanism for the web is provided, and I also provide means for enabling the driving direction to be reversed when desired. For this purpose I prefer to provide a vertical drive shaft 13, the middle portion of which is provided with a worm-wheel 14, which is splined to the shaft, that is to say, the worm-wheel is non-,rotatable upon the shaft, but the shaft can slide through it freely. This wormwheel may be driven at the will of the operator by'means of a worm 15 carried on the end of a shaft 16, which alines with the shaft of a small electric motor 17 mounted on the rear wall of the machine. The stub shafts 11 are provided respectively with Gears such as bevel gear wheels 18 and 19. hen the shaft 13 is held in Iits most elevated position, a bevel gear wheel 2O carried on its upper end, meshes with the gear wheel 18 so that the motion of the driving shaft 16 will be imparted'to the drum 6. When in this elevated position, a bevel gear wheel 21 o'n the lower end of the vertical shaft 13 is held disengaged from the bevel gear wheel 19.' When the shaft 13 is shifted an opposite effect results.

In order to shift the shaft 13 up or down to control the direction of the drive, I prefer to provide the shaft with a pair of collars 22' between which there is mounted on each sideI of the shaft a cam disk 23, said cam disks being rigidly connected by'a yoke 23a, attached to the end of a shaft 23h. This shaft carries a lever 24; for rotating the shaft. One of the cams has a pivot stud 25; and this stud and the shaft 23b are rotatably mounted in brackets 26. The lever 24 extends out through a slot 27 in the side of the case, and when in its elevated position tion to that of the drum 6.

In the normal operation of the apparatus the advancing movement is permanently arrested at a `predetermined point, the means foil this purpose being normally controlled automatically, that is to say, by the web itself. ln other words, this means includes a part on the web for moving with the web. In order to enable the driving mechanism to advance the web i at the will of the operator after the movement has been.

arrested, to bring the next advertising matter on the web, into position before the window 3, I provide a conductive part on the web forming part of the controlling circuit. For this purpose I prefer to provide the edges of the web with continuous metallic Y strips 28 and 29, respectively, and the web movement.

is provided with means at a plurality of points for effecting the arrest of the driving These strips are preferably metallicly connected at some point prefer'- ablyiby means of a thin cross strip At a suitable point, preferably inthe upper' wall of the case 2, binding posts 3i. and 32 are provided, and these binding posts are in communication with insulated Contact brushes 33 and 34E respectively. any suitable arrangement may be provided for controlling the motor drive. l prefer to drive the motor continuously by a circuit through the terminals 37 and 38. l provide an elec- Y trically controlled friction clutch 16 of any suitable construction. The main control. circuit is through the contact brushes and 341, andV the strips 23 and 29 through the medium of the cross strip 30. This circuit be formed by means of suitable conductors 35 and 3G which connect with thc terminals lb and 16c of the friction clutch, and which are'also connected with a source of current such as a battery 39. `While this circuit is closed the current holds the friction clutch 16fl closed. A. simple form of clutch for my purpose is illustrated in detail in Fig. 4f, said clutch comprising a friction disk 161 rigidly attached to the end of shaft 17 a of the motor 17. The driving shaft 16 is provided with a friction dish 1G@ which is mounted to slide upon it but is non-rotatable with respect to the shaft 16, by reason of a spline connection 16f. The terminals 161 and 13C connect with a plurality of electro-magnets 16g within the clutch case 16h, and when the current passes through the coils of these electro-'magnets'1Gg they 1,338 ses attract a plurality of armatures 16k each of which is provided with a roller 161 which engages the outer face of the sliding disk 16C, so that when the armatures are attracted they will shove the sliding disk 16e over against the disk 16d on the motor shaft 17a. The motor shaft will then rotate the driving shaft 16. The disk 16d is slightly dished so as to permitthe placing of a coil spring 16m on its inneil face, Ywhich normally holds th sliding disk 16e back and out of engage-V ment with the disk 16d. Associated with each armature 16k l provide a light spring 16 for holding the armature so thatV its roller 16 lies against the sliding disk 16d of the clutch.

The strip 28 is constantly in metallic contart with the contact brush 33, but the strip 29 is provided at suitable points with insulating faces or insulating strips Ll0. `llVhen one of these insulating strips 40 comes under the brush 3e which is relatively liz/:ed the circuit through the clutch will be broken automatically. The friction clutch will then onen and the'web stops with readine` matter l 7 .L 9 b smh as the advertising matter indicated at fil, displayed the window 3. This advertising matter may be displayed as long as desired. l provide means independent of the strips 23 and 29 for closing the circuit through the friction clutch when it is desired to pass the web on and display other advertising matter, or to'inhibit the automatic arresting of the web and thereby enable the opverator to advance the web continuously. ln order to do this, the operator closes a short through the conductor. 4:2 by means of a push button lf3. This short circuit is formed tocut out the brushes. held open by a spring 44E. However, when this button ismoved against a conductor 45 tding A:om one side of the battery, it connects this conductorwith theconductor 4t2 to out out the brushes, and this re'sults in passing the current directly to the friction clutch without passing through the brushes. When the button 13 is released, the short 'circuit opens, but-the main circuit through the brushes 33 and 34; and the friction clutch is maintained until the next insulating strip l() comes underthe brush 3e, whereupon the friction clutch l)will open again, and the web willpermanently stop to display the next Vpiece lof advertising matter upon it; that isl to say, it will not start again automatically, but only through the operation of thev manual control.v In this way'the opera-tor controls the move` l 'regard this mode of 'operation as highly* advantageous for the reason f that it fre- Y quently happens vthat the period of display it is vnormally of certain matter should be prolonged, for example, Where a party of persons have stopped to look at the advertising matter, and it is desired to give them time to read it. W here a machine such as this is entirely automatic, it may happen that the advertising matter would be moved away, under the circumstances just described, Without the party of persons tarrying to look, having had time to read the printed matter.

In order to maintain suitable tension in the Web I provide a tension device in connection With each roller. rIlhis tension device may be in the form of a simple flat spring a6 Which is attached to the case, and a portion of which is bent into a curved tongue 47 lying on the periphery of a brake Wheel LIS Which is rigid with each or the drums 6 and 7. These brakes also insure that the driven drum Will come to a quick stop when the clutch is opened.

It is understood that the embodiment of the invention set forth herein is only one ot the many embodiments the invention may take, and I do not Wish to be limited in the practice of the invention, nor in my claims, to the particular embodiment set forth.

IWhat I claim is l.. In advertising apparatus, the combination cic a Web carrying reading matter, mechanism for advancing the Web, a conductive cont et strip extending along said web and attached thereto, a brush cooperating with said contact strip, a controlling circuit for said mechanism closed by the contact of said brush and said strip, said contact strip having insulating strips to open the controlling circuit When engaging the brush and permanently arrest the advance ot the web by said mechanism at predetermined points, and manually controlled means independent of said mechanism for closing the controlling circuit and operating to start said mechanism and effect another ad- Vance movement of the Web.

2. In advertising apparatus, the combination of a pair of drums, a Web carried thereby and carrying reading matter, mechanism for rotating either oi said drums to Vwind the web upon it, an electric controlling circuit for said mechanism including a conducting part on said Web, means on said conducting part ior breaking said circuit, to permanently arrest the vveb at a predetermined point, and manually controlled means for closing the circuit to start another advance movement of the Web.

3. In advertising apparatus, the combination of a pair of drums, a Web carried thereby and carrying advertising matter, mechanism for rotating either of said drums to Wind the Web upon it, an electric controlling circuit for said mechanism including a relatively iiXed brush, a conducting strip to engage therewith attached to said Web, said Web having insulating spots thereupon to come under said brush and break said circuit to permanently arrest the Web at predetermined points, and a manually controlled push-button for closing the circuit by cutting out said conducting strip to start another advance movement of the Web.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a Web carrying advertising matter, an electric motor, an electrically controlled `friction clutch normally in its open position, driving mechanism actuated by said motor through said clutch for advancing said Web, a strip of conducting material carried by said web, a circuit including a source of current adapted to be closed through said conducting strip, said circuit connecting with said friction clutch 'for closing said clutch, said conducting strip having a plurality of insulating strips for opening the circuit at predetermined positions of said Web and thereby operating te open said clutch and stop the Web, manually controlled means independent of said Web forl closing the circuit and thereby close said clutch to eiiect another advance of the Web.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JACOB R. OSBORNE. 

